British expatriates considering returning home in the face of uncertainty over their status as EU residents following Brexit could be in for a nasty shock. Research by Retirement Advantage Equity Release shows that since 2010, the combination of sustained price rises in the UK housing market and falls in many popular EU destinations could leave them facing a substantial shortfall if they come back to the UK.

The UK has seen average real house prices rise by 12 per cent since 2010, according to OECD data; in contrast, prices in France have fallen by 3.8 per cent on average, and in Portugal they’re down 6 per cent, while in Italy they have lost 20 per cent.